Some Kind Of Trouble
by Hedderz1
Summary: Sam's at Stanford, his second year. Dean is hunting with John until he notices that something's going on at the university, people have gone missing. Will Dean make it in time to protect his brother?
1. Clueless

**A/N: This story takes place around two years before Dean went to Stanford to pick up Sam at Stanford. Next chapter will be posted in a few days.**

The knife sank through easily, the minimal force Dean had to use this time caught him off guard. His arm was better now after all, he must have regained all his strength. Looking down at his bloody sleeve, he frowned. _Son of a bitch_. Not this shirt too, they weren't exactly rolling around in money. The sleeve must have ripped in the fall. He cursed under his breath as he poured some gas over the skinwalker. There hadn't been enough to time to make silver bullets; he had been forced to use the silver blade instead. _Another thing for dad to complain about, add it to the freaking list._ He lit one of the matches, seeing the corpse catch fire as soon as the match fell. The warmth was nice, the temperature was pretty chilly. Dean sighed as he loaded all the gear in the trunk. He knew what to expect once he got back to motel.

"Son, I'm disappointed in you. You know the risks. Always come prepared, yada yada yada…" He muttered bitterly, capturing the tone of his father's voice perfectly. Dean slammed the door of the impala shut after him. Before he turned the key in the ignition he cast a look at himself in rearview mirror. Adrenaline from the fight gave his eyes an alert look, he noticed. Blood had splattered up on his face. Absentmindedly he wiped it off. The thought formed before Dean could stop it. This was how it would be; it was what it meant to do this job. He knew how it would end. For now, the blood spilled would be the blood of the creatures that he put an end to. Until that spilled blood was his.

* * *

Pulling up at the motel, he saw John's wary face peering through the window of their room, pushing the stained curtain aside. He gave him a curt nod before letting it fall. Dean sighed before getting out, he probably wouldn't get much free time before the next hunt.

"Everything went ok?" John asked. Dean shut the door, careful not to break the salt line. He shrugged indifferently.

"Son of a bitch's dead, one less problem in this place." John hummed in agreement, eyes landing on Dean's ripped and bloodied sleeve. Dean scolded himself for not changing his shirt before getting back here.

"I see you didn't use bullets." The disapproving tone was enough for Dean's eyes to fall to the ground.

"Yeah, well we were out. Had to use a knife. I know, dad. You don't have to say it, it was stupid, I should have checked first." Dean sat down on his bed, the one furthest from the door. For a brief second he saw Sammy sitting there, researching on his laptop. This was always his bed after all. The image disappeared as quickly as it had come, Sam's absence once again heavy on Dean's shoulders. He pushed the thought of his little brother away, he knew it wouldn't make a difference anyway. Sam was the one who had chosen to leave.

"It's okay. You won't make the same mistake again." Dean swallowed the snort that came out of nowhere, did his dad really think that was supposed to be reassuring? Wanting to avoid John's eyes on him, he got up and shut the door of the bathroom behind him.

* * *

"So there might be a potential case in Superior, Wisconsin. A few people have committed suicide within a strange pattern, one every six months…are you hearing me Dean?" Dean tore his eyes away from the waitress he'd been staring at, meeting his father's gaze guiltily. He cleared his throat and scratched his neck while trying to remember what John had just said.

"Sorry, uhm, yeah. People gone missing, suspicious pattern, right?" John's brown eyes looked tired as he nodded.

"Yes, but I'm thinking there might a possible ghost case up in Spokane, people describing what I can only imagine to be ectoplasm. Have you checked online for any other potential case?" Dean opened his mouth before closing it again.

"I just got back from the skinwalker hunt, I haven't had any time, dad- "John held his hand up.

"Check now then, your laptop's here." Dean nodded, pushing the computer to his left as the waitress came with their food.

"Two burgers, extra cheese." Dean's stomach rumbled as she put his plate down.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Dean said, winking up at her before she left. She smiled back before pushing a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. John sighed before dipping a fry into his ketchup.

"You just can't help yourself can you?" Dean's eyes widened with feigned innocence.

"No idea what you're talking about." He took a bite of his burger, reveling in the delicious taste. Reluctantly, he opened the laptop and turned it on. He knew it'd take a few minutes to boot up so he got back to his food.

"Dean, you're 24, you don't have to inhale your food." Dean put his burger back down with an annoyed glare at John whose nose was buried in his newspaper.

"Yes sir." Dean muttered. _Did the guy ever have a good day without a pissy mood?_ Dean searched for any possible cases on the laptop, looking through news websites. With the occasional theft and murder here and there Dean couldn't see anything that would be of interest to them. After a few minutes his eyes caught on a headline on a website focused on the west coast. _**Students gone missing at campus, three more this month**_. Dean clicked on the link, eyes narrowing in concentration.

 _ **The police are clueless as to what is happening at Stanford University, Palo Alto CA. As of yet five students have been reported missing, the latest three just this April. The president of Stanford University is asking people to alert the police if they know anything and to pray for the students and their families… "There are no clues to what could have happened since there have been no signs of struggle in any of the cases," police officer Mark Robertson says…**_ Dean slowly looked up from the laptop, as if John knew what he'd just read. He took a breath and picked up his burger again. Dean knew he couldn't ignore this, it was Stanford. If there was something going on there, Sam could be in danger. He also knew that he couldn't mention this to his father. Every time Dean mentioned Sam to him his expression darkened. Dean knew that he was constantly worried about his youngest son but he wouldn't let the fight they'd had when Sam had left go, it still upset him, 1.5 year later. Dean's stomach churned, appetite gone out the window. Worry now clouded his mind, mixed with anxiety. He had to get there and soon. It would take about two days, he estimated.

"Anything?" John asked, bringing Dean back to the diner. Dean shook his head no.

"Nothing that seems relevant, no. I could check out the thing in Wisconsin if you'd rather go to Spokane." Dean was surprised at how believable his own voice sounded considering the circumstances. John pondered for a minute before setting the paper down.

"You sure? I need you to be ca- "

"Careful, yes I know, dad. I'm nothing if not careful." John looked like he was ready to disagree but decided not to.

"I want daily updates okay? Don't do anything stupid." Dean nodded earnestly at his father's stern tone. _Dammit._ With the lie he'd just told, he would have to fake working the case in Wisconsin. He could send another hunter though, but he wasn't sure that John wouldn't find out.

"Alright, we should get back to the motel before we split up." John got up, leaving a twenty on the table before heading out. Dean packed up his things, closing the laptop but not before giving the article a last glance. A part of him was excited to get to be close to Sam again but the sadness he felt cut the excitement short. Sam couldn't know he was there; he wouldn't want Dean there anyway. With the way the three of them had left things, Dean was sure Sam wouldn't want to speak to him at all.


	2. Close Call

Dean shifted uncomfortably in the front seat, the passenger door of the impala proved to be a horrible pillow. He didn't get up though, too caught up in the nightmares of the memories that haunted him every day.

" _So you're just going to leave, is that it Sammy?" Dean spat through clenched teeth. He was fighting the urge to kick something and at the same time he was desperately trying to ignore the growing lump in his throat. In the distance he heard the roar of the engine of their dad's car, he'd stormed of when the fight escalated, when Sam had walked out the door. Sam met his glare through frustrated eyes. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath._

" _You heard the man, Dean. He told me to never come back!" Dean took a step closer, chuckling bitterly._

" _After everything, this is the order you choose to follow? How convenient of you now that you've just flushed your life down the toilet! The life that we have him to thank for. He doesn't ask for much Sammy- "_

" _Are you hearing yourself?" Sam was now the one to take a step closer, angry spots of red on his cheeks. "He won't even let us control our own lives, Dean! We're stuck in this spiral straight to hell and we both know how that's eventually going to end. Are you so full of his bullshit that you don't even have a will of your own? Please tell me this- "Sam gestured to the shabby motel in front of them. "That this is not how you want to spend the rest of your life!" It took everything Dean had to not take a swing at his little brother._

" _You're walking out on your family, Sam, the only family we have left. And for what? So you can go to school? How selfish are you to- "Sam's eyes darkened a few shades._

" _How is that selfish, Dean? The selfish person here is dad, forcing this life on us. I just want a shot at something normal, something I'm good at. If you think that makes me a horrible person, then fine."_

"A _ll we've ever fought for, all the good we've done, that doesn't matter? Is it worth nothing to you?" Dean urged heatedly. The anger seemed to drain from Sam, a sad and tired expression taking form instead._

" _Of course not, Dean. I know that we save people, that a lot of them would be dead if it weren't for us. But- "Sam shrugged hopelessly. "I'm tired, man. I need this, okay?" Dean scoffed, turning his back to his brother, pacing for a few seconds before turning back._

" _So you're just going to leave us, Sam?" The unspoken words 'leave me' hung in the air between them. Sam met his eyes pleadingly._

" _Dean, I have to do what I want for once. Can't you at least be remotely happy for me? I can actually be something someday, Dean. Because I know that this life, being a hunter, it's not who I am." Dean's eyes fell to the ground between them so Sam wouldn't see how much the words actually hurt. What possibly hurt even more was that Dean knew that Sam was right. He'd always been different, his attitude towards the hunting life had always differed from his own and John's. He looked up again, eyes emotionless and dark._

" _I can't, Sam." Sam's eyes widened in hurt for a second before hardening. He avoided Dean's gaze, staring at his feet coldly._

" _I'm sorry you feel that way." It wasn't too late; Dean could still fix this. But he didn't. He remained quiet, nodding shortly. Sam's cab that he'd called for rolled up at the motel parking lot. The driver gave them an annoyed look, seemingly stressed to get going. Sam cleared his throat and adjusted his hold on his bag._

" _Bye, Dean." A part of Dean just wanted to hug him and convince him to stay but the stronger part of him was hurt. He couldn't let his brother see that._

" _Bye, Sammy." He said, forcing a small smile that he knew wasn't convincing at all. Sam hesitated for a second and a short flicker of hope filled Dean. Maybe he wouldn't leave, maybe he'd changed his mind. But he hadn't, taking long strides towards the cab. Dean looked away, the realization that he was now truly alone was drowning him. With one last glance at his brother walking away, he wasn't sure when he'd see him again. And it scared him to death._

"Sammy!" Dean shot up from the seat, taking in his surroundings with heavy breaths. The same dream again. Dean wondered if he'd ever be free from it. An insistent tapping noise made him look out the window irritably.

"Hey you, sleeping beauty!" A woman in her late fifties was standing outside, hands on her hips. "This ain't a hotel. Either you buy something or you'll be on your way, alright?" It was too early in the morning for her heavy accent. Dean groaned, sitting up straighter. He remembered that he had parked by a gas station late last night to get a few hours of sleep. With another tap on the window he turned the keys in the ignition, trying his best to hide the death glare he wanted to give her. He drove away, muttering under his breath. Debating whether he should stop somewhere for breakfast or not, Dean thrummed his fingers on the wheel. Quickly he did the calculations in his head. He could make it to Palo Alto by tonight if he stopped as little as possible. A few traffic laws would be broken but Dean couldn't care less.

* * *

Dean didn't know if he was really going to do this. It made him really anxious. It was baby after all.

"So do you think this one will do?" The rental salesman prodded after an awkward pause of Dean's silence. He couldn't hide his dislike even if he really tried. He studied the Honda while pinching the bridge of his nose. _What kind of name is that anyway?_

"Like I said, you're not going to find a better price anywhere else, just a 120 $ for five days. I can ensure you that you'll love all the features with this car- "This guy had to stop talking.

"Awesome. Whatever, I'll take it." The man disguised his sigh of relief with a smile, tightening his already too tight tie.

"Great. I'll go fetch the paper work for you to fill out and then you are all done." Dean nodded and the man hurried away. He cursed at himself, he knew he had to do this but it still hurt. Rolling into Palo Alto and Stanford campus with the impala wasn't exactly inconspicuous, this had to be done if he was going to keep a low profile. On the other side of the parking lot was the impala, shining in the bright sun.

"I'm sorry baby."

* * *

Finding a good way to stay in the school without faking papers as a student proved to be harder than Dean had thought. He'd have to have an excuse to stay on campus so he looked up if there were any available jobs. Which is how he now found himself in some lady's office. Dean didn't think he'd ever felt this misplaced in his life, the surroundings, furniture, hell even the lawn outside screamed money.

"Okay Mr. uhm…Mr. Wright. You're looking for a temp job here at Stanford?" Dean was still feeling pretty pleased with himself about the alias he'd picked.

"That's right. Call me David." He flashed her a smile, leaning back in his chair. The woman, he now remembered the door to the office had said Anne Davis, seemed a little flustered but quickly recomposed herself.

"You seem pretty young if you don't mind my saying so." She said, crossing her legs. Dean shrugged.

"Still have plenty of experience though. I'm good at what I do." He didn't realize it until it was too late that he had no idea what he was talking about.

"And what is that you do, David?" He scratched his neck, mind spinning. _Come on, Dean._ He had to respond, but what? _I kill monsters for a living with my dad_.

"I do a lot of work with… with uhm- my hands. "He said, not thinking it through enough. One of Anne's eyebrows curled up. Shooting her a nervous smile, he cleared his throat.

"Like repairing and fixing things. It's kind of a family business actually, we can fix anything." Anne nodded and looked down at some paper in her lap.

"Well I don't know. There is one job for you that I imagine could fit. It's not very well paid though; I'm not going to lie. Our janitor on the law school grounds just had an accident and will be gone for two weeks. We're really low on staff so I guess…" She trailed off, looking at her papers. Dean knew it was time to say something. He leaned forward. She met his gaze, slightly startled at him shifting closer.

"Listen Mrs. Davis, I'd be grateful for any job. I think I'd be fit for a janitor position. You'd really be helping me out here." He said sincerely, not breaking eye contact. He saw her waver and flashed her a small smile. She sighed. _Got her._

"I think you're right, Mr. Wright." He grinned, feeling very accomplished.

* * *

Dean was heading back to the motel just outside of campus, cursing at the stereo in his rental car. The thing was impossible, Dean could never understand why they overmodernized the cars nowadays.

"Oh, come on, you son of a- "While practically abusing the stereo he managed to turn on some station. Classic rock. He breathed a sigh of relief. Dean couldn't help but feel absolutely clueless about what was going to happen tomorrow. _How in the hell am I going to be a janitor?_ He slammed on the breaks when two figures stepped out into the street out of nowhere. Annoyed, he honked before driving away. _Don't people look before they walk straight out into the street?_ That had been close.

* * *

"Okay man, we're almost there." Sam was half-carrying, half-dragging his very drunk friend and roommate Luke from one of the many parties Luke insisted they should go to.

"Where is there again?" He slurred. Sam shied away from Luke's breath which was reeking of alcohol. Sam had to adjust his grip around his shoulders before stepping out into the street. He heard the squeal of tires, seeing headlights coming alarmingly close. Sam let out the breath he'd been holding; it had been close. It was too dark to see who had almost hit them. The driver honked and drove away.

"Duuude, cool lights. I- "Luke burped, completely oblivious to what just happened. "I thought we left the party." Sam snorted and sighed in relief at seeing they were almost at their dorm.

"That, my friend, was us almost getting hit by a car. You owe me one."

 **A/N: So Sam hasn't met Jess yet at this point, that's why he's living with a roommate.**


	3. Not So Fast

Dean stared at the ringing phone wearily, debating whether throwing it at the nearest wall would be a good idea. Concluding that it would not, he picked it up with a sigh.

"Yes?" Shuffling was heard on the other end.

"Yeah, hi. This is the janitor right?" A male voice wondered, sounding somewhat confused.

"I'm afraid so. How can I help?" Of all the jobs he could have picked for this alias he had ended up with one that made him long for doing actual research instead.

"Uhm, my sink is making weird noises and it's kind of clogged up, could you take a look at it?" _Nothing else I'd rather do_.

"Absolutely, where's your dorm?" After scribbling down the address Dean grabbed the tool box and headed out of his closet of an office. Glancing at his watch he cursed, stress welling up. He'd been here for almost a day now, he had to do some looking around to hear about the missing students. With every minute that passed the risk of another one disappearing was increasing. And he had no clue as to whatever was taking them, there were no traces. After a ten minute walk he made it to the guy's address. Knocking on the door, his eyes skimmed past the name tag next to it. _Wait- what? Shit!_ The tag said L. Andrews and S. Winchester. Dean was about to turn on his heel and leave when the door swung open. _Not Sam_. Dean tried to hide his sigh of relief, heart slowing down. A guy who looked like he had seen better days quirked an eyebrow. His red-rimmed eyes met his in confusion.

"You're the janitor?" Dean nodded, making his way into the small dorm apartment. From what he could see there was only a kitchen and two bedrooms. Still no Sam. Dean prayed that he wouldn't show up, he couldn't know that he was here.

"Okay, I'm Luke…" He trailed off, rubbing his temples. Whatever kind of hangover this guy had, it seemed to be one of the rougher ones. He was barely able to communicate.

"So, the sink right?" Dean asked, opening the tool box. Luke nodded heavily and sighed.

"Yeah, it's kind of messed up, no idea why." Dean opened the cabinet under the sink to get access to the pipes. He cursed under his breath, this was not going to be cozy. Getting to work, he decided it might be a good time to hear what the word was on the missing students.

"I heard about some people here going missing, you know any of them?" Dean saw Luke sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of water. He ran a hand through his messy hair before answering.

"Yeah, I know Michelle and Eric but the other three I've never met. It's a big campus."

"No kidding." Dean muttered. Luke hummed.

"So, no one knows what could have happened to them?" Dean prodded, trying not to sound overly interested.

"Nope, they're just gone. It's too weird, man." Luke said, voice tired and anxious. Dean breathed through his mouth as he pulled something out of the pipe, clearing it effectively.

"What the- "Dean mumbled, half-disgusted, half-bewildered. He turned, holding the slimy looking piece of fabric out for Luke to see. Luke's eyes widened and he got up, scratching his neck.

"Guess you found my sock, been looking for it." Dean threw it to him in disgust. Luke caught it, holding it at good arm's length away from himself.

"Do I even want to know?" Dean muttered as he started setting the pipes back together under the sink.

"Well, you'd be the first one to know, I don't remember putting it in the sink." _Jesus_. Dean couldn't understand how this guy was even in law school. Which reminded him.

"Where's your roommate?" Dean asked, hearing the nervous tone in his own voice.  
"Sam? Yeah he's in class right now I think. Should be back soon though." _Time to get going_. Dean shut the cabinet and got to his feet.

"All done. I suggest that you from now on keep your clothes in a closet, alright buddy?" Luke nodded, diverting his gaze to the floor. Dean rolled his eyes and hurried out of the apartment. He was caught up in thoughts as he made his way back to the office, he had to ask around more to get a picture of who the missing students were and what they had been doing the days before they had disappeared. As he walked through one of the parks he saw a familiar figure. Sam. Dean momentarily froze; he couldn't run into him. He quickly hid behind a small shed where garden utensils were stored. A part of him screamed that this was ridiculous, hiding from his own brother. He peeked out briefly, seeing Sam walking past a few feet from where Dean was hiding. He chuckled to himself, of course the kid had his nose buried in some book. His hair was longer, Dean noticed. Seeing him now for the first time in almost two years made Dean realize how much he missed his brother. He was also relieved, Sam was alright. The fight they'd had before he left didn't seem as important all of a sudden. A guy walking in hurried pace caught Dean's attention. He caught up with Sam, deliberately bumping into him. Sam stopped and looked up irritably.

"Hey, Winchester." They guy said in a mocking tone. Dean could almost hear Sam roll his eyes.

"What do you want Drew?" Sam asked tiredly, putting the book he was holding in his bag. Drew took a step closer, glaring at Sam.

"I want you to stay the hell away from Emily, I saw you last night." Dean was confused, was this really Sam Drew was walking about?"

"What is this, high school? We were talking, you moron. Whatever you think you saw was probably due to your brain cells drowning in alcohol." Dean choked on a chuckle, pride making him grin. _Nice one, Sammy._

"No, I saw you two. You think you're special, huh? Smart kid, studying to be a lawyer? Well guess again, you're no one, Winchester." Dean clenched his fists, this guy was getting on his nerves, what the hell was his problem?

"Whatever you say, Drew. Are you done?" Sam demanded, voice still calm. Drew fumed, throwing a punch to Sam's face. It took everything Dean had to stay put. He knew very well that Sam was capable of defending himself but that wasn't comforting right now. Sam spat on the ground, rubbing his cheek. He took a deep breath.

"Just walk away and we'll forget this, okay? After last time I would have thought you'd stop-" Sam said, holding his hands up. Drew threw another punch, this time directed at Sam's stomach. Dean could hear the air momentarily going out of him. If Sam didn't do something soon Dean wouldn't think twice about putting Drew's head under the water of the nearby small fountain. Sam was now visibly pissed off and gave Drew a hard shove which sent the douche to the ground.

"Get lost, Drew. I don't have time for this." Sam glared down at him before walking away, adjusting his hold on his bag pack. Drew got up and dusted himself off but didn't follow Sam. Dean gritted his teeth, if he tried anything else… Drew's cell phone rang and he answered it. Seemingly now stressed, he started to make his way back from where he had come from. _Not so fast_. Making sure that no one was around Dean jogged up to him, sending him to the ground head-first with a hard push.

"What-who are you?" Drew called breathlessly, wincing as he tried to sit up. Dean grabbed his collar and kneeled down.

"You are going to stay the hell away from Sam, alright? This is me asking you nicely. If you hurt him again I will make what you just did to him seem like a hug, is that understood?" Dean spat. Drew's eyes widened and his mouth opened in protest.

"But he was totally hitting on my girlfriend, I sw- "Drew objected, voice rising.

"Trust me, she's better off without you anyway." Dean let go of Drew's collar and was about to walk away when he unfortunately opened his mouth.

"He'll get what's coming to him, just you see. I'm surprised he didn't run away after what I did to him last time-" The mocking tone froze Dean mid-step. He wished for Drew's sake that he hadn't said that. He turned and grabbed Drew's collar again, ignoring his attempts to get free. The kid had the good sense to actually look a bit frightened.

"Last time?" Dean felt the rage welling up. "You know; I think you have something on your face. Let me help you." Drew's eyes narrowed.

"What- "He was cut off as Dean's fist met with his nose, the crack painfully loud. Blood immediately started running down to his chin. Drew clutched at his nose, yelping out in pain. Dean grinned, patting him on the shoulder.

"There, all better." Drew scowled up at him, trying to wipe away the blood.

"What the hell man?! You broke m-my nose!" Dean shrugged, standing up.

"Nah. Personally I think it looks better this way." Drew stifled a sob, spitting blood on the ground as he scrambled to his feet. Dean took a step closer which made him shrink back.

"You stay away from him, you got me?" Dean warned in a low tone that made Drew's eyes fall to the ground. He nodded weakly before turning, stumbling away.

* * *

"Did you have the sink fixed?" Sam called warily as he put his books in order. Luke walked into his room, chewing on some pizza Sam was sure they had ordered a week ago.

"Yeah. Called the janitor." Sam could barely hear what he was saying. Luke finally swallowed. "New guy I think, didn't look much younger than us." Sam nodded, just happy they finally had a functioning kitchen again. Luke was on his way out when he suddenly turned, an eager grin on his face.

"Hey, did you hear about Drew?" Sam sighed, what was it now? The two of them hadn't exactly gotten off to a good start and it had only gotten worse.

"No, what about him?" Sam didn't have the energy to tell Luke about the little encounter they'd had a few hours ago. Luke's eyes lit up.

"That's the thing, he won't really say. He was beaten up apparently by some guy just this afternoon and now he's sulking in his dorm. Probably because whoever did it broke his nose." Sam scoffed, feeling a bit better. He couldn't help but feel curious too, who had beaten him up? Not many guys dared to go after Drew. Whoever it was, Sam was grateful.


	4. One Down

Sam pulled the pillow over his head, cursing at the volume in the next door dorm. Sure, the parties could get a little out of control sometimes but this definitely took the price. When the ear-piercing scream didn't stop, Sam sat up and grabbed his sweatpants. What the hell was happening?

"Are you trying for an opera career in there Sam or is that noise coming from Andie's dorm?" Luke's groggy face peeked into Sam's room, opening the door with a yawn. Sam didn't answer, something was wrong. Very wrong. His instincts were to reach for a gun but they were cut short with the recollection of him having to discard of all those things before he left for Stanford. The noise was not as loud now, sobs were echoing through the building instead. Sam saw a few other students opening their doors as he knocked on Andie's door. His hand had barely left the surface before the door shot open and Andie flung herself into his arms.

"Sam! Oh my god, Sam, I can't- "She was a sobbing mess, mascara running down her puffy cheeks. Sam did his best to calm her down but it was pointless, she was completely panicking.

"She's right there, Sam! Oh my god. I got home and…and- All the blood- "Her volume was rising even more. He turned them around so that she was in the corridor.

"I need you to tell me what happened Andie. Are you hurt?" She was shaking her head frantically, tears still running down her face.

"No-No- "She hiccupped. "It's Michelle. She's back." Sam's blood went cold and again he found himself reaching for a gun that wasn't there.

"Stay here, Andie. Okay? Luke, call the cops." He motioned for his roommate behind Andie to take care of her and make sure that she stayed where she was. Sam took a breath and made his way to Andie's bedroom, not sure what to expect. What struck him first was the tangy smell, so heavy it made him feel sick. The red sheets were still wet, some of the blood dripping onto the carpet. Michelle's lifeless body was lying on the bed, back resting against the wall, blue eyes staring into nothingness. Her wrists were cut open, knife on the floor. Sam took a stumbling step backwards, fighting off the urge to throw up. Sam forced his eyes away from the body, taking fast steps back to the corridor, careful not to touch anything. This was a crime scene now.

After a few hours things were not as chaotic, the body had been moved and the police had started their investigation. Sam had not been able to go back to sleep; all he could see was Michelle's dead body every time he closed his eyes. As he gathered his things in the morning he noticed a note on his desk. Written in blood. _One down, four to go. Are you safe?_ Sam stared at it for a few seconds before tearing it into small pieces and flushing them down the toilet. If the police found her blood in here he was screwed. Someone had left that note in here and it sent chills down his spine. Sam sat down on his bed, drawing a shaky breath. This was meant to look like a suicide. But it wasn't.

* * *

Dean didn't know what was worse. That the girl had been found dead or the fact that it was right next to Sam's dorm. It was too god damn close. He gritted his teeth. The son of a bitch who was doing this was going down. The police had stated that there was no reason to think it had been murder since the only prints found had been Michelle's, the ones on the knife as well. They had concluded that it was suicide. Dean scoffed at their stupidity. _Suicide my ass._ Time was running out, since Michelle had been alive until two days ago that probably meant that the other four students were still alive. For now. It was near midnight and Dean was making his way through the huge campus. _It's a freaking maze._ A girl was walking a few feet over and Dean waved to catch her attention. When that failed he cleared his throat.

"Hey, sorry to bother you." The girl's head peeked up in interest and she started to walk towards him instead. She smiled lightly seeing his lost expression.

"I'm guessing you're lost. Where are you headed?" Dean chuckled.

"That basement that was shut down a year ago, can't seem to find it." She frowned, blue eyes growing suspicious. There was something familiar about her but Dean couldn't put his finger on it.

"Why would you be going there?"

"Uhm, there's this party. Don't know how they picked the location." Dean shrugged innocently with a smile, hoping that his response would slide. She nodded thoughtfully and motioned with her hand.

"It's right there, the building behind those trees, you can't miss it. I got to get back to my dorm now, see you around." He hummed, murmuring a thanks before hurrying away. When he made it to the trees he looked back to make sure that she wasn't watching him. She was gone. The basement had been closed due to construction but it was never finished due to some water leak, Dean had read in the files in his office. Secluded space with no one around; this place could be where the students were kept. He grabbed his gun before turning on the flashlight. Grabbing the keys and unlocking the door, he readied himself. He had to give the door a little push but it swung open. The smell made him wrinkle his nose, this place had seen better days. Dean cursed when he took a step inside, water soaking his shoes immediately. Hadn't they at least drained the place?

"Fan-freaking-tastic." He muttered before closing the door behind him. The only sources of light were the small windows high up on the walls but he still would've been blind without the flashlight. Water dripped here and there, the sound making his nerves uneasy. There were only four rooms, some old furniture left behind to rot. Dean sighed, this was a bust. He was about to turn back and head out when he heard the distinct sound of someone at the door. Heart beating faster, he turned off the flashlight and hid in the room furthest from the door. Water swooshed as someone entered the basement, steps coming closer before taking a pause. Dean could make out the shine of a flashlight. _Shit, shit. Why didn't I lock the door?_ The steps were heading away from him now, into one of the other rooms. Dean quickly peeked his head out, trying to make as little noise as possible. The water on the floor didn't make that easier. He squinted in the darkness but he would've recognized that floppy hair anywhere. Again, he cursed. _Dammit Sammy._ He got back to his hiding place, trying to think of what to do. He couldn't meet his brother like this, not now. Of course Sam had to come here. The kid must have come to the same conclusion as Dean, that the basement would be a logical place to keep the students. Dean smirked slightly to himself, he hadn't completely forgotten about what Dean and John had taught him then. Dean must have made some kind of noise; this water wasn't making it easy to stay silent. Now he heard Sam coming closer. Dean just wished that things weren't this complicated between them, that he could just go up and talk to him and they'd be fine. But it wasn't that simple.

"Hello?" Sam called out hesitantly. _Just go Sammy, go back to your dorm._ The ring of a phone nearly stopped Dean's heart but he quickly realized that it wasn't his.

"Luke? Yeah, I'll be home soon, I was just- "Dean could hear the faint sound of Luke's voice on the other end, something must have happened. "She what? That's insane, Luke." Dean frowned, what was going on?

"Are you sure Andie wasn't hallucinating? Or maybe she's drunk- "Sam was cut off again and sighed. "Yeah, I'll be there in five." Dean heard him close the door and let out the breath he'd been holding. He had to get back to see what had happened.

* * *

Sam got back as fast as he could, mind spinning. Andie had to be drunk or maybe the trauma was making her see things. He vaguely noticed how drenched his shoes were from the water in the basement. Luke had left their door open for Sam. He walked in to see Luke on the couch with Andie and one of her friends, both of them trying to calm down Andie who was crying. Sam locked the door and sat down in a chair opposite the couch. Andie looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes, face paler than a sheet.

"What did you see, Andie?" Sam prodded. Andie's friend gave her a worried look and stroked her back. Andie's eyes fell to the floor. Luke sat awkwardly next to her, scratching his head in confusion.

"I got back from Amy's and when I got to my dorm I heard her." Andie's voice was low, wrecked from crying.

"You heard Michelle?" Sam asked slowly. Andie nodded, more tears spilling down her cheeks. The friend, Amy, Sam assumed, shot him a concerned look.

"Andie honey, she's dead, you know that." Amy said gently. Andie glared up at her.

"Of course I do. But she was here, I swear. I heard her when I walked in." She shivered. "She was taking a shower." Amy bit her lip, probably to keep herself from saying something that would upset Andie.

"Are you sure it was her?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. I ran back to Amy's and when we got back here she was gone." Amy nodded and pushed some hair out of her friend's face. Sam ran a hand down his face, no clue of what was happening. There was no doubt that Michelle had been dead, he'd seen her himself. But how could Andie have seen her again? Sam would never say it out loud but he really wished that Dean was here right now.

 **A/N:** **Reviews are appreciated!**


	5. So?

" _Dean, don't. It's not a big deal. "Dean stared down at his little brother in bewilderment, his hand left hanging mid-air._

" _Not a big deal? The bruise on your face is the size of a freaking potato Sam, how is that not a big deal?" Dean yelled, regretting his tone instantly after seeing Sam's small form shrink back. He looked up at Dean with pleading eyes._

" _They're just trying to get to me. I'm not like them and they have nothing better to do so- "_

" _So that makes them beating you up okay?" Dean demanded, voice rising again. He took a breath and kneeled down before his brother. "Sammy, I'm not mad at you, okay? I just need to clean your face up. And then kill them. Beating up eight-year-olds, there's a first for everything, right?" Sam glared at him._

" _They're nine, Dean. And you can't do that, dad will kill you."_ _Dean looked at his brother, eye bruised and swollen. He was still so young; he shouldn't have other kids coming after him just because their family was different. Dean stood up and ruffled Sam's hair with affection, earning himself and annoyed huff. He shrugged._

" _So?"_

* * *

"No, dad. I'm telling you, it's not our thing. Wisconsin's clear. I'm looking around for another case as we speak." Dean hoped his voice was convincing enough. He could practically taste his father's hesitation on the other end.

"You've made sure? We can't make any mistakes, Dean." _Don't I know it_. Dean ran a hand down his face, suppressing a sigh. He didn't like lying to him, but he had to.

"I'm getting the feeling you're not trusting me here, dad. You've taught me everything you know so I'm bound to know if there is a case or not, right?" Dean said, forcing the playful tone to his voice. John huffed and muttered something inaudible.

"Okay, Dean. I'm still working the case here in Spokane but we'll stay in touch, alright?"

"Sure thing. Bye dad." Dean hung up the phone, sighing in relief. Hopefully he wouldn't hear from John for a few more days. Things had escalated around campus. Eric, who was one of the missing students, had also come back. Dead, that is. Another suicide the police had said but Dean knew they were suspicious. With two out of five missing students dead it was now a pattern. The phone on Dean's desk rang, making him stir slightly.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, uhm…janitor dude, I didn't get your name." Dean sighed, recognizing Luke's voice.

"De- David. Any more clothes stuck in your pipes?" Dean asked, chewing on a pen.

"No, it's the AC, stopped working last night and I tend to sweat a lot- "Dean rolled his eyes.

"Okay, whatever. I'm coming over. By the way, your roommate's not in, is he?" Dean asked, trying his best to not sound creepy.

"Class, I think. He left this morning." Dean hung up. This moron was a handful. How Sam managed to actually live with him was beyond him.

Ten minutes later Dean found himself explaining to Luke that the AC had simply been shut off. Luke nodded, scratching his head.

"So, you're just like supposed to press the button on the remote?" Dean stared at him in amazed disbelief.

"Yeah, that would make things easier, wouldn't it?" Luke opened his mouth to answer but froze abruptly, seeing something behind Dean. His face had paled remarkably, eyes unfocused as he blinked a few times. Dean frowned and turned around, he had left the door open but all he could see was an empty hallway.

"You okay?" Dean wondered. Luke met his eyes briefly before heading to the front door and closing it. He was shaking.

"I-I don't know. I think I just saw…no, it couldn't have been him." Dean wasn't sure if Luke was talking to him or to himself. What he knew for sure was that something was wrong.

"Who did you see, Luke?" Dean demanded, taking a few steps closer. Luke met his gaze, a drop of sweat trickling down his forehead.

"It was Eric. I swear, it looked just like him. He walked by in the hallway and he looked at me, I'm not kidding- "He was rambling but Dean had heard enough.

"I believe you, okay? Now, stay here." Dean opened the door and ran out into the hallway, only to find it completely empty. This could be his only chance to find whatever was doing this. First Andie had seen Michelle and now Luke had seen Eric? Dean cursed, whoever Luke had seen, Eric or not, was gone.

* * *

A few days had passed and Sam was feeling uneasy. All students had showed up dead and people who had been close to them claimed to have seen them, alive. Sam couldn't ignore the note someone had left him, whoever it was would be coming for him next, the threatening promise had been obvious. The police were baffled; one or two suicides could have been explained but five? They were considering possible cult theories by now. Since the failed investigation of the old basement Sam had no idea of where to look. He had considered calling Dean for help but that would mean him having to talk about the last time they saw each other and he didn't have the energy for that. Luke had been a mess since he'd seen Eric, barely leaving their dorm. That wasn't all. Sam had noticed people acting strange around him, some staring at him angrily and others whispering behind his back. Even Luke had been giving him a weird attitude lately and it wasn't because he was freaked out over Eric. Something was up and Sam hated feeling this clueless. Sitting down in one of his law classes he turned to his friend Rose with a small smile, testing her reaction. She eyed him suspiciously before returning the smile uncertainly. Yeah, something was definitely up. A few tense minutes passed and Sam took notes even though he didn't have to, just to have something distracting him.

"You didn't say hi a few nights ago, I called your name but you didn't respond." Sam looked up at Rose next to him, alarm rising. "I haven't done anything, have I?" Sam's mouth fell open, sweat forming on his neck. He had no idea what she was talking about.

"I'm sorry, what? Where?" He asked as calmly as he could. Rose brushed away some blond hair irritably.

"Outside my dorm, of course. You were heading into Sara's dorm." Sam felt his blood run cold. "You know, just before they found her dead. Did she say anything by the way? Her suicide really just came out of nowhere." Sam felt his mind spinning, she was talking too fast. He hadn't been to Sara's dorm and if he somehow had been seen there he was in trouble.

"Are you sure it was me, Rose?" She looked up at him, eyes flickering nervously. Sam realized the pen in his hand had almost snapped.

"Sam, I know what I saw, I don't understand why you're saying this." She leaned away from him a bit. "Do you know something about Sara that- "He had to get out of here. Now. He shot out of his seat and practically ran out of the classroom. Several people stirred at his sudden exit. Sam realized that it wasn't the smartest move, now Rose would be even more suspicious. But he had panicked, someone was posing as him in some way. Heading out into one of the yards he saw Drew and his friends by one of the benches. Making a beeline return back to the building he was stopped short.

"Winchester!" They had spotted him. Sam cursed, he really didn't need this right now. Turning around, he saw that they were coming his way.

"What do you want?" He asked tiredly. Drew snorted.

"Some answers, that's what I want. Or what we want, I should say." For the second time in about five minutes, Sam didn't follow at all.

"What?" Drew quirked an eyebrow. Sam noticed the faint bruise to his nose that had been left there after someone broke it.

"You're lucky that we haven't gone to the police yet, you freak. I saw you the other day leaving Eric's dorm just before they found him, he was my neighbor you know. And Mike here says he saw you leaving Alice's dorm two days ago. You're really stupid, you know? Do you really expect us to believe that they've all committed suicide when you're making house calls just before they're found dead? I bet you kidnapped them too, you sick son of- "Sam held his hands up as the three of them came even closer.

"I swear, I wasn't there, okay? Someone is messing with me; you're just going to have to believe me." Drew's eyes darkened.

"The only thing that I believe is that we'll deal with you in our own way before we hand you over to the cops." Sam knew he was screwed. He knew how to fight, but against three guys at once? He didn't have time to ponder before the first fist met his cheek.

* * *

Muttering his way through the corridor, Dean opened the door to the yard. As everything was going straight to hell he was still forced to do his janitor duties to avoid blowing his cover. He was at a loss of what to do, there was no trace to be found around campus. And now all the students had been found dead. Dean's head jerked up at the familiar sound of guys in a fight. Turning the corner, he paused for a second before seeing red. He didn't think, instinct taking over. Sam was doing his best to protect himself and had seemingly gotten a few good hits but it was three against one. Seeing Drew among the guys, he was glad that he wasn't carrying a gun. He ran in and pushed away one of the guys off of Sam with a growl before turning to Drew whose face totally fell.

"I'd think a broken nose would send the message but clearly you're asking for more severe injuries, aren't you?" Drew's jaw fell open before Dean sent him to the ground, his head hitting the pavement with a thud. Seeing that he was knocked out for the moment Dean assessed the situation, punching one of the other guys standing too close to Sam. He took a step backwards to stand directly in front of his brother, back turned to him as he daringly glared the three guys down.

"Anyone else?" Dean called, fists clenched. One of the guys spat on the ground before staring at Dean in confusion.

"Aren't you that new janitor?" He asked. Dean was caught off guard.

"No- I mean yes- whatever. I'm also Sam's brother and I think it would be best for you guys if you made yourselves scarce." Drew was on his feet now, rubbing his head. Dean took a step forward. "I'm not asking." As they left Dean turned around slowly, he realized that he hadn't even looked at his brother yet.

* * *

Sam met his brother's eyes in a mixture of shock and disbelief. He could feel his own sudden hesitation; the fight they'd had wasn't forgotten. How was Dean here? Had he been following the missing students case here? Had he been here all along without telling him? All the questions forming at once sparked the beginning of a headache. His growing black eye wasn't helping in the matter. Dean decided to break the tension.

"Hi, Sammy." Sam blinked, Dean's casual tone snapping him out of his confused thoughts. He swayed slightly on his feet. Dean grabbed his shoulders and sat him down on the nearest bench.

"Come here, you need to sit down. You took a few hits to the head, I think. Should have come here sooner." Dean muttered. He was obviously still waiting for Sam to say something.

"Dean?" Sam started, voice breaking slightly. Clearing his throat, Dean sat down next to him. "You're the janitor?" Of all the questions he had, that was the one he could muster at the moment. Dean chuckled seeing Sam's expression.

"I guess I am." Sam stared at him in bewilderment.

"And you're the one who broke Drew's nose?" Dean nodded sheepishly, looking down at his sore knuckles.

"I saw him hitting you and yeah-he deserved it." Sam did the math in his head, Dean had been here for more than a week. And Dean had protected Sam, even if Sam hadn't realized that it was him. He couldn't decide on whether to be angry or grateful for his brother's stupidity to get into fights that weren't his.

"But…why? And just now, you could have been hurt. They were three guys Dean." Sam stated, brushing hair of his eyes. Dean met Sam's gaze with a shrug, seemingly not understanding his point.

"So?"


	6. Lost Cause

Watching his brother, Dean felt like no time had passed at all. This was how it was supposed to be, separation and arguments were useless in the end. Dean knew they would have to talk about the last time they'd spoken though, it was inevitable. They were making their way to Sam's dorm, Dean ignoring Sam's amused scoff at seeing Dean hovering around him.

"I only took a few hits Dean; I'm not going to collapse at any second." Dean glared at him.

"You might have a concussion, Sam. As will they, next time I see those low-life sons of- "Sam grabbed his elbow, forcing him to meet his eyes.

"Dean, calm down. It won't make it better, trust me. Violence is not going to fix this one, I'm afraid." Sam unlocked the door to his dorm and they headed inside. Dean sat down on the couch with one raised eyebrow. Sam grabbed a glass of water before joining him.

"Care to enlighten me?" Dean prodded. Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair. Dean didn't like the uncertain expression taking form on his brother's face. Uncertainty and something else. Fear?

"Someone's posing as me, Dean. Whoever it is has done a great job at making it look like I'm involved in the suicides happening around here. But they are not suicides, I'm sure you know that too." Dean nodded.

"I talked to one of dad's friends." Sam's eyes darkened at the mention of their father. Dean decided to ignore it for now. "He has a theory, but I'm not sure Sammy. It's not like anything we've ever dealt with before." Sam sat up straighter, eyes focused.

"What did he say?" Sam asked. Dean chuckled humorlessly.

"Shapeshifter." Sam frowned but Dean could see the wheels turning in his head.

"It makes sense, doesn't it? With everything that's been happening to me and people seeing the dead students?" Dean shrugged.

"I guess. There's only one problem. He doesn't know how you're supposed to kill them; says he has never heard of anyone hunting them before." Sam ran a hand down his face, wincing slightly at his hand rubbing against the growing bruise. He met Dean's gaze with a nod.

"We'll find a way." They sat for a moment in silence, not sure where to begin after a little more than a year spent apart. Sam spoke up before Dean had the chance to.

"Janitor, huh?" He wondered, his amused tone obvious. Dean scoffed, scratching his chin lightly. He needed to shave, he realized.

"Yeah, well sometimes I make poor decisions of aliases under pressure. It's been more work than I had expected though, being a janitor." Sam tried to meet his eyes but Dean kept his focused on the floor, knowing where his brother was going next.

"Why didn't you let me know you were here, Dean? I know we didn't part on the best of terms but- "Dean sighed, casting Sam a small smile.

"I thought it was for the best alright? Less complicated. But apparently you're like a magnet for people looking to beat you up so guess I had to save your ass. "He chuckled to himself and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Well, I'm glad you're here." Dean met his brother's gaze, nodding shortly before looking down again. The weight of was still unsaid made Dean shift in his seat. He knew Sam felt it too.

"Sammy, about- "Sam cut him off before he had any chance to start.

"I know." Dean stared down at his hands, unsure of how to explain himself.

"No, you don't. I said some things that I didn't mean and- "

"We both did Dean." Dean's head snapped up, giving his brother an agitated look.

"Would you please just let me talk?" Sam smiled lightly, scratching his head uncomfortably.

"And I'm sorry. I'm not going to pretend that I fully understand your decision, because I don't. However, I can't deny that you're different, you want something else. So a part of me is grateful that you won't go down the same road as me." Dean said, voice lower now. Sam was watching him, surprise and wariness written across his features. Dean's honesty had caught him off guard.

"I know how my story ends Sam, yours shouldn't end the same way." Dean felt like a weight had been taken off his chest and at the same time numb after expressing what he never thought he'd say to his brother. They rarely talked like this. Sam looked at him, eyes sad.

"Dean, I- "Dean stood up with a suppressed sigh, feeling suddenly exposed in a way that made him uneasy. "You're right. I do want something different. I'm sure some part of you does as well and I really hope so because like you say…" Sam trailed off, clearing his throat. Dean turned to him, not expecting his brother's vulnerable expression. "With that kind of life, the road doesn't stretch very far." Dean blinked, letting his eyes fall to the floor. He knew he had to say something. The need to escape the topic was stronger so instead he looked up with a smile that he was sure wasn't as convincing as he meant for it to be.

"I'm a lost cause Sammy, what can I say?" He said with a careless shrug. "You're going to be someone someday, a lawyer, have a hot wife, a son-hell maybe even twins. And I'll be the crazy, drunk uncle who pops up every now and then." _Assuming I'm alive, that is_. Sam looked up at him with big, serious eyes and Dean could have sworn he saw ten-year-old Sam in front of him, pleading with those puppy dog eyes.

"Dean, you have to want something other than- "It was Dean's time to interrupt.

"You know what I want Sammy?" Sam met his gaze, a flicker of uncertain hope passing through his eyes for just a second. "Food. Burgers would be awesome, I'm starved. Come on, I saw this diner the other day right outside campus. I'll drive." Dean headed out the door, sighing in relief at escaping the conversation. He felt Sam's sad eyes on his back as they made their way outside.

* * *

"Where's the impala?" Sam wondered as they neared the parking lot. Dean muttered to himself, suddenly visibly upset for some reason. Sam eyes widened in confusion seeing Dean unlock a rental car.

"I don't want to talk about it, Sammy." Dean said finally, feeling his brother's questioning look. Sam's eyes flickered between his brother and the car before opening the door and getting in. Dean got in behind the wheel with a dramatic sigh. After a minute Dean broke the silence.

"I left her in storage not too far from here. I had to go undercover, so… "Dean gestured to the car in distraught distaste. "So now I'm driving a freaking Honda." Dean swallowed before meeting his brother's eyes. Sam blinked but lost it a second later at seeing Dean's dead serious look. Laugher bubbled up in his chest and he couldn't help it from escaping. Dean glared at him before starting the engine. Sam only laughed more, seeing his brother curse at the radio that automatically started with the car.

"It's not funny Sammy. It's freaking disgrace, that's what it is." Sam managed to pull himself together enough to give his brother a sympathetic expression which probably only looked like a grimace. Dean rolled his eyes but Sam didn't miss the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

They got back to the dorm later than Sam would've thought. Talking to his brother again made Sam realize just how much he had missed Dean. The events of the day were catching up to Sam, a yawn interrupting him mid-sentence. Dean joined in, jaw cracking slightly.

"Yeez, I've got to crash, can I take the couch?" Dean asked, blinking sleepily.

"Sure. I don't have any classes until tomorrow afternoon so we can sleep in."

"Awesome." Dean murmured, head already on the pillow. Sam chuckled, hastily placing a blanket over his brother before heading to bed himself.

* * *

Dean woke up, light seeping in through the windows. With the strong sense that someone was watching him, he sat up straight. Seeing Luke standing by the couch almost gave him a heart attack. He was mindfully chewing on popcorn in only his boxers.

"God, you scared me. What are you doing here?" Dean groaned, slumping back against the pillows.

"I live here. I got home late last night so I didn't notice you until now." He said, sounding mildly confused. "Sam?" He called, making Dean wince at the sudden volume. Sam came walking out, hair looking like a haystack.

"Yeah?" He said, yawning. Luke's eyes flickered between the brothers, growing more confused by the second.

"Why is the janitor on the couch? Is he our friend or something, like do we like him? He doesn't like me very much; I can tell you that." Dean snorted, he got something right at least. He sat up again, irritation growing.

"What do you mean 'we'? I'm his brother, you dufus. I just crashed here last night." Luke blinked, the information too much to process. Sam laughed, patting Luke on the shoulder as he headed towards their small kitchen.

"Sorry, Luke. Should have told you yesterday but things got a little out of control." Luke nodded.

"Yeah, you know what people are saying about you, right? I told them that it couldn't be right but most of them didn't listen." Sam sighed, casting Dean a nervous look. Dean dragged a hand down his face, they would have to end this as soon as possible.

* * *

After Luke had headed out Dean took a shower. Sam was reading something on his computer when Dean stepped out of the bathroom.

"So what's with Luke?" Dean asked as he grabbed the TV remote. Sam looked up with a frown.

"What about him?" Sam wondered, voice absent as he continued reading. Dean rolled his eyes.

"How do you put up with him? He managed to get a sock stuck in your sink, Sammy. I had to come here and pull it out, not a very pleasant experience." Sam chuckled.

"He actually moved in less than a month ago. We both knew Eric, they were roommates. Eric disappeared and… well I felt bad for Luke." Dean raised an eyebrow but decided against any witty remarks seeing his brother's serious expression. "Luke's not that bad, believe it or not. He reminds me of you sometimes." Dean snorted, turning to glare at Sam who ignored him. Feeling his stomach rumbling he grabbed his keys and headed for the door.

"I'm going to buy us some breakfast, I'll be back soon."

"Okay." Sam replied, caught up in whatever he was reading.

* * *

The sound of the door shutting made Sam jump in his seat. Dean was back and seemingly without any breakfast. He nodded in greeting, shrugging his leather jacket off.

"No breakfast?" Sam asked, realizing that he was pretty hungry. Dean looked up, momentarily confused before sighing.

"No, all they had left was the healthy stuff." Sam scoffed and resumed his reading. From what he had gathered so far, shapeshifters apparently shed skin when taking on a new form. They had superhuman strength and speed. Fighting them would be hard then, Sam figured.

"What you reading there?" Dean asked, suddenly right behind Sam's shoulder. Sam jumped and turned to Dean with a scowl.

"Trying to figure out how we're going to solve this case." Dean simply nodded before heading to the bathroom.

"I'm just going to take a shower and they we could head out for lunch instead, alright?" Sam hummed but looked up in confusion after a second.

"Shower again?" Dean muttered something.

"I value personal hygiene, Sam. You should do the same." Dean shot back and Sam didn't have to see him to know that he was grinning. He rolled his eyes and continued reading. They could take the form of anyone living or dead. Once they take on a new identity, they fully become them by absorbing memories. Sam's eyes were glued to the page on his computer and he sighed in irritation when his phone rang. He fumbled in his pocket but managed to flip the phone open in time.

"Yeah?" He said, annoyance clear.

"Do you want bagels or donuts? I was thinking donuts but then I saw that they only had the sugary ones…" Sam had never felt so frozen in place before, hearing his brother's voice. He could have sworn he felt his heart pause for a few seconds before starting an increasing pace. Slowly turning his head to the bathroom, he heard Dean's voice humming in the shower. Panic was rising in his chest. "Sammy? I don't have all day, just tell me what you want me to get." Sam forced himself to answer, constantly checking over his shoulder.

"You're not in the shower right now are you?" Sam asked in hushed tone. Hearing his voice, Dean chuckled at first but it quickly died down. Sam could practically feel the moment realization hit his brother. He could also hear the water in the bathroom being shut off.

"Get out of there, Sammy, _now._


	7. Panic

Even though he only had seconds to spare, Sam still found himself reaching for his jacket for some reason, hurrying out the front door. Sam could hear it shutting behind him as he ran down the hallway. He vaguely acknowledged people staring at him but adrenaline had him feeling a bit detached at the moment. The phone buzzed in his pocket and he tried his best not to drop it in his haste as he fumbled with it.

"Dean?" He asked, out of breath as he turned to look behind him. No fake-Dean in sight. His pace didn't falter though.

"Sam, did you make it out?" He heard Dean's stiff, worried tone on the other end.

"Yeah, I'm on my way, almost there." Dean gave a sigh of relief. Sam swung the main entrance doors open, heading out into the momentarily blinding sunlight.

"I'm in the parking lot right now, get here and we'll go someplace safe, alright?" Sam nodded and realized a second later that his brother couldn't see him.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Sam hung up and cast another look behind him. He frowned, had the shifter let him go? A student eyed Sam warily and a quick glimpse of his own reflection in one of the windows told him that he was as pale as a sheet, sweat gleaming on his neck. He could see the impala in the parking lot and the homey sight made him speed up further. Dean must have returned the rental car. He got in and Dean wasted no time before stepping on the gas. Sam was trying to catch his breath when Dean broke the silence.

"You okay?" Sam nodded, wiping at his forehead. The realization of what had just happened made him blink a few times. It had been a while since he'd felt this. The adrenaline after a hunt, or in this case, being hunted. Dean touching his shoulder made him jump in his seat.

"You with me? I asked if he followed you, did he, Sam?" Sam shrugged and sighed.

"I don't know; I didn't see him follow me at least." Sam took in their surroundings, realizing that they were not leaving campus.

"Where are we going, Dean?" Sam asked with a frown. Dean gave him a brief, pending look before answering. The corner of his mouth turned up.

"The basement. He won't look there, will he? You've both been down there so why go there again, right?" Sam had no idea what to reply, not following.

"Basement? What are you talking about- "Dean chuckled, cutting him off effectively. Sam tried to fight the sense that something was wrong.

"Didn't take you for the stupid brother, I would've thought it'd be the other way around."

"Dean, what the hell- "Sam turned to meet a blank green-eyed stare that somehow wasn't his brother's.

"Sorry to keep you out of loop. You do have to admit that it was convincing- although I was not sure that you'd play along as well as you have. But buying it so quickly? What would be the fun in that, Sam? The shifter being the Dean in the shower? God, the predictability is dull, isn't it?" Sam now felt sick to his stomach, shifting as far away from Dean as possible. _No, he's not Dean_.

"What did you to my brother?" Sam demanded, heart beating faster by the second. The shifter scoffed.

"Don't shift the blame on me Sam. It was all you, I haven't touched him. After all, you're with me right now, aren't you?" 'Dean' leaned closer, not minding the road at all, fixing Sam with those eyes that weren't his brother's. He chuckled again, giving Sam a pitying look. "I didn't make you do anything. It was all up to you, Sam."

* * *

Dean stepped out of the bathroom, dragging a towel through his short hair. The California heat was more than what he was used to, after the unsuccessful breakfast hunt he'd found himself sweatier than before his previous shower. The apartment was seemingly empty, the only sounds coming from students outside and the humming of the fridge. Dean frowned, hadn't Sam said that his class started in the afternoon? After fifteen minutes of restlessly watching crap TV Dean knew he had to get out. Getting baby back would ease his mind, there was no point in having her stored now that Sam knew about everything.

Seeing the storage door open made Dean's heart skip a few beats. He looked around in panic, the parking lot was empty and there was no one around. Running up to the storage unit his panic only increased.

"Son of a bitch!" He cursed, banging his hand on the door which he instantly regretted. As he rubbed his sore hand he started pacing. Where could she be? Who the hell would steal the impala? How was he going to kill whoever was responsible? Something white moving with the wind caught his attention. High up on the slide-down door was a note. Dean swallowed thickly seeing the handwriting. His own handwriting. _Hope you don't mind_. The anger he felt was joined with the chilling realization that the shifter was not only posing as him but also had his car. _I'm so screwed_. Dragging the door down with a curse he made his way back to the rental car. Dean glared at it, making a silent promise to find baby. He was not going to drive this car for one more day. He had to go back to campus to find Sam, this shifter had to be killed as soon as possible.

* * *

The search for his brother proved to be unsuccessful. Dean had asked around and tried calling him but no one could tell him where Sam was. When he returned to the dorm room he found the door locked. Annoyed, he knocked harshly. He could hear some shuffling steps before the door opened. Dean wanted to shout in frustration seeing Luke's face.

"What are you doing here?" Dean demanded with a sigh. Luke's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"For the second time today, I live here. Why are you here?" Dean snorted and shoved past him. Luke followed close behind.

"I'm looking for my brother. He ditched me this morning and I haven't seen him since." Luke blinked.

"Your bro- oh, Sam. Right, forgot." Dean looked at him once again with a bemused wonder for his capability to somehow stay at a school like Stanford.

"So have you seen him? I really need to talk to him." Luke eyed him suspiciously. Dean fought the urge to punch him in the face.

"Wouldn't you know? You were driving around with him this morning. Awesome car by the way, wish I had one of those." Dean could practically feel his face drain of any color. The urge to punch Luke was now directed to himself. He should have seen this coming.

"Where, Luke? Tell me." Dean demanded, not realizing how hard he was grabbing Luke's shoulders. Luke took a step back, caught off guard by the panic in Dean's eyes.

"Easy, man. I- I don't know. On campus, I guess." Dean took a breath and started pacing. He knew he had to focus but all he could think about was Sam. _Please let him be ok._ Dean quickly grabbed Sam's laptop, he'd been reading about the shifter and now he needed every bit of information he could get. Securing a firm grip on Luke's collar he started to drag him out the door.

"What the hell, dude? Let me go!" Luke protested but Dean kept on going.

"You're coming with me, 'dude'. You're going to show me where you last saw Sam, willingly or unwillingly. I'll tie a leash on you if I have to." Luke huffed, sighing dramatically after a second. Following Dean, they left the dorm.

"What's the problem anyway? If you were riding with him before, why are you panicking?" Dean kept his mouth shut, Sam was the priority and Luke didn't need answers at the moment. He heard Luke muttering behind him.

"Must run in the family. Knew there was something off. You're crazy, I get that. Sam, he's nice and all, but kind of weird in a way, Drew coming after him was just a matter of time." Dean turned abruptly, fists clenched. Luke almost bumped into him but quickly shied away seeing Dean's expression.

"Shut up or I'll happily reconstruct your face, you got me?" Luke nodded nervously.

* * *

 _Dean didn't know when it had happened. All of a sudden, Sam was just gone. One second the kid had been eating his cereal and the next he was nowhere to be seen. Dean was kicking himself, some show on the TV had distracted him and now he had to face the consequences. He could hear his dad's voice in his mind. "He's only two, Dean. When I'm not here, you're supposed to look after him, that's your job."_

 _"Sammy!" Dean called anxiously, his young voice breaking slightly. He checked the bathroom, no Sam. Dean turned the TV off and threw the remote down on the bed in frustration. He had to find him, dad would kill him if he didn't._

 _"Sam, where are you?" To his relief, Dean could hear a faint giggle from outside. Had his brother headed out and he had still missed it? Dean scolded himself again and swung the motel door open. Sam was waddling around happily, arms outstretched at the falling snowflakes. Dean shuddered at the cold that hit him. When had it started to snow? Hearing the door, Sam turned to Dean with a grin that would usually melt his heart. Now, Dean was angry._

" _Look, Dean. Fnow!" He hadn't quite figured out his S's yet. Dean stomped over and lifted his brother up in his arms. Since Dean wasn't very tall himself, Sam's weight was a bit unstable in his hold. He hurried back with a protesting Sam._

" _No, no. Dean. Want fnow. Wanna play." Sam cried, big tears falling down his chubby cheeks. Dean shut the door and put Sam down. He put a hand to his forehead and cursed._

" _You're freezing Sammy! You can't just go outside without a jacket." Sam quieted down at Dean's tone, browns eyes huge. Dean sighed and gently placed his brother on the bed with a blanket._

" _If you want to go outside, you tell me first okay? I'll play with you, I promise." That lightened Sam's mood, a smile forming on his lips._

* * *

Dean looked around, eyes scanning the park. Shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand, he turned to Luke.

"Are you sure this is where they went?" There was a parking lot around but they couldn't have gone further in this direction unless they had gone on foot. The few seconds it took for Luke to answer was another second Sam had to spend with the shifter. What made it all worse was that Sam thought it was his brother. Dean shifted uneasily.

"Yeah, when I saw you guys you were headed here." Dean cursed. He'd have to look through the buildings. Another disturbing thought crept into his mind. What little control he'd had of his temper went out the window.

"If they stopped here, then where the hell is my car?" Dean yelled, attracting the attention of several students. Luke cleared his throat.

"Can I go now?" Dean nodded curtly. Luke scurried off with a sigh of relief. Dean recognized one of the buildings as the old basement. He hurried over there in search of any possible space his car could have been placed. Behind the gloomy-looking building he caught the glimpse of something black and gleaming in the sun. Relief surged through him but was quickly overshadowed with worry. If baby was here, Sam had to be… Dean looked behind him where the stairs were. _The son of a bitch had brought him to the basement._

* * *

" _Dean!" Sam pleaded in a hushed whisper. "I don't want to go down there!" Dean looked back to see his eight-year-old brother frozen at the head of the stairs. He rolled his eyes and climbed a few steps closer to Sam._

" _Come on, Sammy. Don't be a baby. Dad wants us to check this out. He's out there doing all the real, hard work and you're whining?" Sam's shoulders slouched and his eyes flickered nervously between the waiting basement below and his brother. "It's not a big deal, I'm telling you. I'm right here with you, okay?" Sam finally gave a reluctant nod and took a hesitant step down the stairs. They descended side by side, Dean's flashlight was the only light illuminating the small space. Suddenly Sam stopped, grabbing Dean's arm._

" _Wait, did you hear that?" Dean sighed but listened. A few seconds later his stomach rumbled. Dean chuckled._

" _Just me Sammy." Sam scoffed and continued walking._

" _Are you seriously hungry again? We just ate." Sam asked, irritation making his voice lighter. Dean just laughed. They reached the last step and Dean headed into the small surrounding rooms. The air was humid and there was a smell Dean neither could or wanted to identify. He swiftly looked around, searching for signs that this creature would leave behind. He sighed in defeat when he found nothing. An idea popping into his mind, he turned the flashlight off and made his way back to the stairs where he could barely see Sam's figure waiting. As soundlessly as possible he hurried up to him. Dean could hear Sam shifting around._

" _Dean? Are you there?" Sam called anxiously. Directing the flashlight up to his face, Dean switched it on with a laugh. Sam gave a startled shriek and jumped backwards which only spurred Dean's laughter on even more. Sam caught his breath and glared daggers at his brother._

" _What the hell, Dean? I'm telling dad!" Sam spat, stomping up the stairs. Dean chuckled and wiped at his eyes._

" _I'm telling dad! "Dean mocked in a light voice._

" _Dean!"_

* * *

More than anything, Dean wished that he had Sam by his side as he made his way down the stairs, just like he'd had on that case all those years ago. Now, he was heading down to find him. Praying that he was ok, he switched the flashlight on when the over heading light wasn't enough.

"Sam?" He called out hesitantly, voice breaking slightly. Dean swallowed, trying to push away the worry so that he could focus. There was a shape at the bottom of the stairs that Dean couldn't quite make out. Letting the light fall on it, his heart nearly froze. Dean blinked repeatedly, taking a stumbling step down towards the unconscious body. His breathing felt heavy and dizziness suddenly clouded his vision.

"Sammy!" He forced himself not to fall flat on his face as he crouched down next to his unresponsive brother.

 **A/N: Sorry it's been a while. Reviews are always appreciated!**


	8. A Mind Of His Own

**A/N: This is it, the last chapter. Thanks everyone for reading! I'd love to hear what you think.**

"Sam! Come on, wake up brother!" Dean shook Sam's shoulder slightly, searching for any reaction. The floor of the basement was still a bit flooded and Dean was very grateful that he hadn't found Sam lying face-down. He swore to himself, he should have found him sooner.

"Sammy!" The frantic tone to his voice was growing. Dean took a shuddering breath and adjusted his brother so that his head was lying on Dean's lap. The motion finally caused Sam's eyelids to twitch.

"That's it, it's me Sammy. I'm here now." He stroked some wet hair out of Sam's face, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Sam's eyes fluttered open and his gaze fixed on Dean in terrified recognition. Dean frowned, why was he-

"Get away from me!" Sam called out, voice hoarse. He scrambled away from Dean as fast as he could, back facing the other wall. Dean tried to approach him but then remembered why he was acting like this. The realization made his fists clench. That shifter was going down. Today.

"It's really me Sam, I promise. I know that he brought you here looking like me. He's going to pay, trust me." Sam's eyes narrowed, chest heaving rapidly. Dean saw a fresh bruise on his left cheekbone and he cursed to himself.

"Prove it." Sam said, eyes not leaving his for a second. Dean reached down into his pocket but paused seeing Sam shy back further.

"It's a silver blade, alright? You did your research and I caught up. Silver hurts and can also kill a shifter so this shouldn't be a problem." Sam still wasn't convinced. Dean sighed and slowly cut his palm, wincing at the sharp pain. The blood trickled down, dripping into the water on the ground. Sam eyed the cut in suspicion but seeing that nothing happened he looked up at Dean with big eyes.

"Dean?" He asked hesitantly, hope lightening his voice. Dean nodded, hands stretched out in a shrug.

"I have to say I'm a little offended, Sammy. I'm way more attractive than any shifter posing as me could ever be." He said with a grin as he stood up. Sam sighed in relief, running a hand through his messy hair. Dean offered a hand and Sam took it, getting to his feet with some effort.

"You okay? He worked a number on you from the looks of it." Dean said bitterly. Sam looked down, avoiding his eyes.

"Yeah, he knocked me out when I put up a fight." Sam mumbled. Dean frowned, there was something eating at him. "I just… I was so stupid, Dean. I should've known that it wasn't you." Dean nudged him in the shoulder, forcing him to look up.

"Hey, stop that. If anyone's to blame here, it's me. I should have realized that something was wrong instead of letting him take you and baby." Dean muttered. Sam's eyes fixed on Dean's hand.

"How's your hand? We should fix that." Sam said worriedly. Dean scoffed.

"You've just been kidnapped and you're worried about my freaking hand?" Sam glared at him insistently. "Fine, I'll fix it later." Dean said irritably. Sam held his hand out and Dean blinked in confusion.

"The blade. You don't know that I'm not the shifter." He stated and Dean rolled his eyes.

"Of course I know that you're not him." Sam didn't budge. Reluctantly, Dean held the blade out. Sam quickly made a cut on his palm like Dean had. They both stared at the cut and then each other. Nothing happened.

"You do realize that this was a trap right?" Sam wondered, eyes flickering to the stairs.

"So?" Dean shrugged. "I had to find you." A shuffling noise coming from nearby caused the both of them to freeze, eyeing each other nervously. Sam cast a look up the stairs.

"Dean, did you close the door?" He asked uneasily. Dean grabbed the blade from Sam and reached for the gun in his back pocket.

"No. Here, take the gun. Stay close, you hear m- "A sudden bang made Dean drop the flashlight in his other hand, caught off guard. Sam took the gun just in time before their only source of light was crushed against the wet, hard floor. They both swallowed.

"Shit." Dean exhaled.

* * *

The brothers were shuffling around in complete darkness, both of them swearing as they tried to find their way back up the stairs.

"Son of a bitch. Why don't you have a flashlight Sammy?" Dean grumbled as he apparently tripped on something. Sam glared out into nothing, his brother somewhere close by.

"Like you said, I was a bit busy being kidnapped. Why did you drop yours in the first place?" He snapped back at him. Sam took a few shaky steps forward, trying his best to find the staircase. Instead, he walked right into a solid frame. Annoyed, he nudged at his brother, turning around with an unseen scowl.

"You're blocking my way Dean. I'd rather not be here for much longer."

"What do you mean I'm blocking your way? Oh-there, finally. Sammy, I found the staircase." Dean breathed out in relief. Sam swallowed, blood turning cold. His brother's voice had come from the other side of the room. Which meant that they had company. He heard Dean's careful steps walking up the stairs.

"Dean?" Sam called out, the feeling of being watched growing by the second.

"Yeah?" Dean responded.

"You might want to hurry up." Sam said, voice tense enough so that Dean would know that something was wrong. The steps quickened their pace. Sam felt the warmth of a breath on his neck, sending chills down his spine.

"Scared, Sammy?" Dean's voice whispered. Sam spun around, backing up until his back hit a wall with a thud. He tried to calm his breathing enough so that he'd hear the shifter but his rapid heartbeat didn't make it easy. He heard struggling from the top of the stairs and then Dean swearing.

"Damn it! Sam, it's locked! The son of a bitch locked us in." Dean's steps were heading down now. The shifter's were heading closer.

"I expected more, Sam. I have to be honest. All those students going missing and it took you weeks to even start looking into it? You're not as good as I thought you were." No matter how much Sam blinked, his night vision wouldn't adjust. Closed eyes or not, there was no difference.

"Shut up." Sam spat, pressing up further against the wall but moving closer to his real brother who was still on his way down.

"I mean your brother got here before you had even started, am I right?" The voice was closer now, Sam secured his grip on the gun Dean had given him.

"Why are you even doing this? Why kill those students?" Sam wondered, hoping to buy some time.

"I was just using you, Sam. It was your father that I wanted. We go back, I guess you could say. Instead I got the idiot brother coming to your rescue." Sam didn't have time to answer before he heard Dean's voice speak up. This time, his real brother.

"I'd appreciate it if you backed the hell of, freak." Dean growled, apparently making some kind of attempt to stab the shifter in the darkness. Sam backed up, hurrying towards where the stairs had to be.

"I wouldn't do that, Sam." Sam froze mid-step. He heard cursing and some struggling but he couldn't see what was happening.

"Ignore him, Sammy. Get out of here, please. See if you can force the door- "A cry of pain cut his brother off. Sam gritted his teeth, not being able to see was killing him.

"You don't want to ignore me, trust me. I've got a knife to your brother's throat and if you take one more step water's not the only thing we'll be walking in down here."

"Let him go now or I swear to God I'll- "Sam snarled, raising the gun.

"You'll what? Wave that pretty gun around? Take a shot and end up hitting your brother instead of me? Be smart, Sam." Sam lowered the gun again, reluctantly.

"What do you want?" Dean muttered. The shifter chuckled, Sam didn't have to see him to know that there was a smirk on his borrowed face.

"Since John didn't have the courtesy to show up I guess killing the only things left of importance in his pathetic life is revenge enough. Although considering what I've seen of how you left things off with him Sam, he might not even care." Sam scoffed, grip tightening on the gun.

"You don't know a thing." He shot back.

"Actually I do. Your rebellious little tantrum, coming here to Stanford to break the family tradition. It's sad quite frankly." The smug tone to his voice was almost enough for Sam to take a shot.

"Shut u- "Dean warned but was cut off.

"And then we have you Dean. Learning about you has been one of the more unpleasant things I've had to experience. You reek of insecurities. Well I guess being someone's bitch will do that to you. Tell me, do you even have a mind of your own?"

"Stop it!" Sam demanded, this was going too far.

"You want to know what's the real sad part in all this, Dean? The minute you would've left Sam here again, he would've gone back to his new routine. You're not needed anymore and it's killing you. And you're actually selfish enough that you deep down want him back with you just for the sake of not being alone. Because that is what you're really afraid of, isn't it?" Dean muttered something under his breath but then gasped for air as the shifter must have hit him.

"Sammy, go- "Dean wheezed but Sam didn't move an inch. No way he was leaving his brother here. Suddenly, there was the distinct noise of a door opening. Sam squinted as light crept down the stairs, he could finally see again. He could feel the shifter tensing his hold on Dean and Sam knew it was only a matter of seconds now.

"Hello?" Luke's confused voice came from above and Sam felt the urge to laugh in relief. He had probably never been on time in his life but his timing now couldn't have been better. "Dean? I kind of changed my mind and I saw you going down here and if Sam's here I guess I can help you, right? Just don't reconstruct my face like you said, okay?" Sam's eyebrows rose, what on earth was he babbling about? The imminent danger Luke had just placed himself in by opening the door made Sam speak up.

"Luke, get out of here, now." He called and turned to the shifter holding his brother. Dean met his eyes warily, Sam could see how much he hated not being able to do anything. The shifter must have hurt him somehow, the pain he felt was evident in the strained look on his face. Sam gave a brief nod, hoping that Dean got the message that he would get them out of this. The shifter's gaze flickered between the stairs and Sam, possibly considering taking off. Sam wasn't going to let that happen.

"Let him go. Now. You don't have the upper hand anymore." Sam demanded quietly, turning the safety off with a demonstrative click.

"I'm the one with the knife to your brother's throat. What makes you think that gun will even work?" Sam froze shortly but tried not to let it show. He met his brother's eyes uncertainly and was met with a firm, small nod. That was all the answer he needed. The shot resonated through the basement, making Sam remember all those times he'd fired a gun when hunting. Now, it almost felt like no time had passed at all. The aim was perfect, the shifter hitting the ground with a bullet right though his skull. Dean fell to his knees, clutching at his ribs. Sam rushed to his side, water splashing against his feet. Dean groaned as Sam helped him up and then cursed in pain as he gathered him in a tight hug. Sam didn't care at the moment. It had been a close call.

"I'm fine, Sammy." Dean breathed, pulling back as Sam looked him over.

"Not to interrupt the bro-moment here, but do I even want to know what the hell just happened?" Luke said, standing on the stairs looking down at them.

"No." They answered simultaneously. Sam chuckled and turned to Luke. "Go to the dorm, Luke. We'll be there in a few minutes." Luke nodded and scurried off. Dean took a few steps towards the stairs but turned to glare at Sam when he felt his hand on his elbow.

"I said I'm fine. I'm not 80 years old, Sammy." Sam rolled his eyes, his brother's stubbornness was annoying to say the least.

"He may have bruised a rib or two on you, Dean." Dean's only response was a grunt as he slowly walked up the stairs.

"Was it silver bullets, Dean? I wasn't sure." Dean turned with a smirk on his lips.

"Yeah. Dad was right, I never make the same mistake twice."

* * *

Dean had dreaded this. He knew that the case would have been solved eventually but somehow it felt too soon. He'd barely had any time to spend with his brother. But Sam was safe now and there was no reason for Dean to stick around. As they walked back into the dorm, Dean knew that not much had changed at all. The realization made him swallow thickly. Luke had retreated to his room after Sam told him he'd explain everything later. Dean wondered what lie Sam would have to feed him with. Sam sat down on the couch with a heavy sigh, looking down at his hands.

"You okay?" Dean asked warily as he sat down opposite him. Sam gave a distant nod.

"Yeah, it's just…it's been a while since I-you know." Dean hummed in agreement. The silence was suddenly heavy between them and Dean hated it more than anything.

"You know you don't have to leave immediately, right? I mean if you want- I'm meeting up with some guys tonight. I think you'd like Brady, he's cool- "Sam blabbered on. Dean cut him off.

"It's okay. I have to get back to dad, anyway. See if I can explain this one." Dean muttered. There was no point in dragging it out, goodbyes had never been Dean's thing.

"You know this isn't goodbye, right Dean?" Sam asked softly. Dean forced a smile.

"Sure. I mean, you're bound to get yourself into some kind of trouble at some point again." Sam scoffed. "And if that nuisance Drew messes with you again I'll happily make the trip to knock out his teeth." Sam gave him his best bitch face but Dean could tell he was holding back a smile.

"What do you think happened with dad and that shifter? Just any revenge story?" Sam wondered as he rested his feet on the table in front of him.

"I guess. He must have gotten away during some hunt. Doesn't happen very often, it is dad after all." Dean said with a shrug. Like before Dean didn't miss the slight darker shade to his brother's eyes at the topic of their father. Dean suppressed a sigh, the two of them really had some unresolved issues. Dean got to his feet.

"I better take care of the body. I guess they'll ask questions if they find the janitor lying dead in the basement. And I've got to check on baby. If that shifter so much as made a little scratch…" Dean trailed off, wishing he'd been the one to kill the shifter.

* * *

Dean sat down in driver's seat with a sigh, this was it. Sam leaned by the driver's side door.

"Good to have her back, huh?" He asked. Dean smiled, patting the wheel lightly.

"You bet. I'm never getting one of those damn rentals again. It's practically cheating." Sam chuckled.

"It's a car, Dean." He teased but quickly shut up seeing his brother's warning look.

"You're lucky I have to leave or I'd kick your ass." Sam huffed, scratching his neck.

"Yeah, yeah." Silence fell once again. Dean for once didn't know what to say. They had been brothers again briefly and a part of him had wished for it to last, somehow expecting for things to go back to what they once were. But they couldn't. Sam had his own life here now, whether Dean liked it or not.

"Dean?" Sam asked, shifting on his feet.

"Yeah?" Dean prodded, recognizing his brother's hesitant posture.

"Thanks." Dean only nodded in response. He didn't need a thank you, when it came to his brother's safety that would never be something he looked for. "Don't be a stranger, alright?" He said with a faint smile. Dean put on a tight smile before taking a breath.

"Stay out of trouble, Sammy. You hear me?" Dean turned the keys in the ignition, avoiding his brother's eyes.

"Yeah. You too." Sam waved shortly before Dean pulled away. Dean kept his eyes on him though the rearview mirror, seeing his tall figure fading away. Glancing at the empty passenger seat, Dean swallowed. He turned the music up to full volume and sped out of campus. Dean knew he couldn't go back there, Sam had his own life there now. He knew that they'd see each other again eventually but until then he had to do what he was best at. He took the highway north heading towards John, putting miles of distance between his brother once again. For now, that's how it had to be.


End file.
